EDA GROUP DEBATE MATTHEW SEE, KENNETH HO, ANG SIN LEK, ONG KUAN LOONG

Asian experience suggests that political freedom should

be introduced only after a country reaches a certain

level of economic prosperity.

Asian experience suggests that political freedom should

be introduced only after a country reaches a certain

level of economic prosperity.

Definition Political Freedom

Autocracy Full Democracy

Definition Political Freedom

Definition Economic Prosperity Refers  to  an  economic  state  in  which  the  country  is  doing  well  and  most  people  have  sufficient  income  for  essen8als    •  Moderate  level  of  

educa8on  among  a  country’s  popula8on  

•  A  significant  propor8on  of  the  country’s  popula8on  is  made  up  of  the  middle  class  

Asian Context Background •  Post war situation •  Period of

uncertainty –  Departure of past

governing bodies –  Internal political

instability and conflicts

–  External military threats

Asian Context Problems

Na#onal  Security  

Stagnant  Economy  

Weak  &  small  priva

te  sector  

Housing  short

age  

Inequality  

Social  unrest  

Food  shortage  Healthcare  Issues  

Asian Context Problems

Na#onal  Security  

Stagnant  Economy  

Weak  &  small  priva

te  sector  

Housing  short

age  

Inequality  

Healthcare  Issues  

Social  unrest  

Food  shortage  

Unpopular policies

Autocracy Benefits •  Quick decision making –  Efficient, can implement fast –  Increase growth momentum

•  Total control –  No need to reach a compromise with something

more popular but less effective –  Able to mobilise the entire country to be

streamlined with the plan

Autocracy Counter Arguments •  Autocracies are unsustainable in the long run –  We support the introduction of political freedom

after a certain level of economic well-being

•  Bad leaders have potential to do much harm –  Bad leaders do have aims that are beneficial for the

country –  Example: Suharto

Political Freedom Benefits and Counter Arguments •  Positive selection –  BUT unpopular candidates with good long-term

ideas do not stay long enough for their plans to take effect, only the popular get voted in but their plans tend to provide short-term gratification

•  Fairer society –  Everyone is entitled the right to vote –  BUT we assume an educated electorate and

sensible voting. Evidence has shown that this is not true.

Autocracy vs Political Freedom Constraints

Legislative Interest Groups Ethnic

Autocracy vs Political Freedom

•  The variance among autocracies is far higher than among democracies

•  Autocracies can achieve great outcomes •  Democracies control the range of outcomes

by virtue of elections

However, autocracy is a short-term

solution.

Economic Prosperity By-Products

•  New social problems e.g. class divide, inequality, pollution

•  Recurring unhappiness with previous policies

•  Government losing legitimacy

Economic Prosperity Positive By-Products

Posi8ve  By-­‐

Products  

Goal   Economic  Prosperity  

Educa#on  Emerging  Middle  and  

Working  Class  

Economic Prosperity Emerging Middle Class •  People moved from rural areas to cities

•  Successful – Middle Class Unsuccessful – Working Class

•  Middle Class wants political inclusion Working Class wants distributive justice •  Alliance of groups wanting political freedom

forming main core of population

Economic Prosperity Education

•  High correlation between education and economic prosperity

•  More people seeking freedom to express their views

•  Influx of other ideologies, advocates of human rights and liberalism

Economic Prosperity Virtuous Cycle

Educa#on  

Emerging  Middle  and  Working  Class  

Civil  Society  

Economic Prosperity Civil Society •  Civil  society  facilitates  poli8cal  inclusion  of  middle  classes,  and  in  some  cases  may  be  decisive  for  democra8c  breakthrough      Rueschemeyer,  Stephans  and  Stephans  (1993)  

•  Civil  society  establishes  itself  as  a  counterweight  to  state  power  

•  Civil  society  being  a  sufficient  condi8on  to  progress  towards  democracy  

Economic Prosperity Summary •  Political freedom SHOULD be given ONLY

after a level of economic prosperity

•  High demand from country to progress towards democracy

•  Nation has right TOOLS and hence is READY to embrace democracy

Asian Context

Case of South Korea

Case of Singapore

South Korea Background

•  Aftermath of Korean War (1950-1953) •  Largely agricultural subsistence economy

compared to North Korea. •  Faced imminent security threat from North

Korea •  Economic growth fastest route to achieve

military superiority

•  Period with high degree of political freedom

•  Daunting period of poverty , economic uncertainty and fear of renewed warfare with a seemingly superior North Korea.

•  Weakening of democratic ideals in his political base due to more pressing economic needs

•  Discredited due to rampant corruption and inability

Chang Myon (1961-1962)

Park Chung Hee

(1962-1979)

Chun Doo Hwan

(1980-1988)

Exit to democracy

Roh Tae Woo

•  Period of little political freedom

•  “Growth at all costs” policies resulting in harsh labour laws

•  Responsive to the people’s demands and could deliver its promise of economic development.

•  Large portion of Koreans accepted Park’s rule as long as those regimes ensured stability, security, order and a high growth rate.

South Korea Political Regime

South Korea Park Chung Hee’s Era

South Korea Emerging Middle Class

• Major  social,  political  and  cultural  movement  

• Popular  response  to  consequences  of  capital  accumulation  

Min-­‐jung  movement  

• Restoration  of  civil  rights  of  Park’s  rivals  and  political  prisoners  

Seoul  Spring  

• Fierce  and  sustained  street  demonstration  met  with  force.  

Kwangju  Incident  

South Korea Emerging Middle Class

However,  middle  class  was  missing  from  the  populist  alliance  behind  min-­‐jung  due  to  stability  under  Park’s  rule  

Turning  point  for    middle  class  to  join  the  populist  alliance  due  to  their  increasing  want  to  have  a  voice  in  politics  

•  Middle school entrance examination are abolished in favour of egalitarian education and less competition, to enhance physical growth among young students.

•  Requirement for factory owners to educate their workers in night schools and validated night school diplomas as legitimate educational certificates.

•  Achieved a near 100% literacy rate of both genders near the end of his reign (Professor Jean-Pierre Lehmann - July 2013)

South Korea Education

Changes  in  balance  of  power  

Increase in demographic size of the middle class.

Accumulation of wealth and gains from education due to economic growth

Changes in political culture due to social mobilisation lead to emergence of civil society

South Korea Civil Society

•  In a survey of public opinion carried out in December 1979), 73% of those interviewed favoured far-ranging political reforms and democratisation (Oh 1993:74)

•  Survey done by Seoul National University in May 1987 showed that 85.7% of the middle class wanted to protect human rights even at the cost of economic growth (Oh 1993:74)

•  Democratisation and political freedom was irresistible at the end of 1980s.

South Korea Demands of a Civil Society

•  Iron-fisted rule from 1965 •  Started off as a third-world nation with a GNP per

capita of less than US$320, with poor infrastructure and limited capital.

•  However, in the early twentieth century, Singapore is one of the fastest growing economies in the world

Singapore Background

•  Emerging middle class P-mets (Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians) makes up 51% consisting of degree and diploma holders

•  Education Economic prosperity led to a highly educated society

Singapore Civil Society

Source:  Ministry  of  Educa#on,  Singapore  

•  Opposition securing constituencies

•  All-time low vote percentage for ruling party

•  Speakers’ Corner

•  White Paper Protest

Singapore Demands of a Civil Society

Opposite pulling directions of

political freedom and economic

growth

Political freedom at the start of

economic growth in Asian context

cannot be sustained.

Robust economic growth will provide firm base of social structure which will

allow political freedom and democracy to

blossom.

Conclusion •  Economic development involving industrialization,

urbanization, high educational standards, and a steady increase in the overall wealth of the society, is a basic condition sustaining democracy. (Lipset 1959: 76-79)

•  Political freedom is an outcome of socioeconomic development, not a condition of it (Leftwich 1996: 7).

•  “The East Asian Growth and Political Development”- Kenchi Ohno

•  “Is there a developmental threshold for democracy? Endogenous factors in the democratisation of South Korea” – Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen

•  “Cultural Politics of Remembering Park Chung Hee” - Seungsook Moon

•  “Economic Development and Authoritarianism - A Case Study on the Korean Developmental State” Ann Sasa List-Jensen

•  “South Korea and Eygpt: A tale of two military dictatorships” - Jean-Pierre Lehmann

Credits

High

economic growth

Medium economic growth

Low economic growth

Political Freedom

Political Freedom

Model